Kevin Pritchard wanted to take a risk. The Pacers president wanted to zig while everybody else was zagging, wanted to move away from the experienced retread model and take a chance on an unproven, first-time NBA head coach (Nate Bjorkgren) who seemed to have a beautiful mind for 21st century basketball and a positive personality that initially enthralled the Pacers’ management team. One year later, the guy with the beautiful mind and the upbeat personality — turned out he wasn’t as upbeat as advertised — was booted after just one lost season.
There will be no risks this time. This time, Pritchard will, in all likelihood, go with the known commodity, someone who’s been there and done that and won at a reasonably high level.
